The Servant's Prayer.

GOD, the Father Almighty, Maker of

heaven and earth! it is the ordination of thy good providence, that there should be various ranks and degrees of men; and that I should be disposed of in the station where now I am. Wherefore I submit, Lord, to thy most wise appointment of all things; and desire (with content and thankfulness) to accept of my portion, how low soever in the world. If

my blessed Redeemer, who is Lord of all, would take upon him the form of a servant, and condescend even to the meanest offices for the service of our souls; O why should I be aggrieved to be a servant under the yoke? when in serving man as I ought, I do also serve the Lord; and though bound to others I may be the Lord's freeman: yea, in faithfully discharging the duties of my place, I shall be as acceptable to my God as any that enjoy the highest station. I leave it to thee, O Lord of all, to choose my inheritance for me. Only I beg at at thy hands that my lot may fall where my soul may prosper, though I work or fare the harder. For if my soul do well, I shall be for ever happy. If my heart be right with God, I shall have his blessed countenance and love. And if I be found in the way of righteousness, I shall be exalted in due time, however abased at present. O my supreme Lord! let it not be so much my care to get higher in the world, as to get more in thy favour, wherein is life. Let it

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be more my concern, to fill my place, and discharge my duty with faithfulness, than to change it for more ease, profit, or honour.

O let me not be the servant of sin, but enjoy the blessed liberty wherewith Christ Jesus sets all his people free; the liberty from sinful bondage, the liberty to follow my Lord carefully, and to run the way of thy commands with an enlarged heart. And, Lord, be thou pleas ed to fit me for, and teach and help me in the service to which I am called; that I may perform it to the glory of thy name, to the pleasure and welfare of those whom I serve, and my own true advantage and comfort. O make me true and faithful, careful and diligent, humble and obedient, meek and patient, fair and peaceable; doing the business of my place, not with eye-service as a man-pleaser; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. Not cross and froward, but apt to bear, and deny myself; not answering again, to stir up wrath; but with silence and submission, following the things that make for peace; not debasing, my master to set off myself; nor doing him any damage, for my own filthy lucre, or fleshly pleasure; but tendering his credit and interest, as one that would be found faithful in the sight of my God, who evermore seest in secret, and searchest the very heart and make me (I beseech thee) such every way towards thee, that thou mayest mercifully accept me, and all my service, for the sake of thy beloved Son, my blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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The Soldier's Prayer.

LORD God of hosts! who hast all the creatures in heaven and in earth ready to fight thy battles, and execute thy pleasure! thou didst not sow any seeds of enmity in our nature; but didst create man endued with all the principles of love and dispositions to peace. It is from our lust and sins, that the wars and fightings come amongs us. First we fell out with our God, and our own happiness; and ever since it is a contentious quarrelsome world that we live in, where restless men are jostling one another, and striving for that ease and content which the world has not for them. Now that I am in this military station, O Lord, instruct and enable me to behave myself therein as I ought. O make me the faithful soldier of Jesus Christ, in that spiritual warfare, wherein I am to combat with the enemies that war against my soul. And that I may have peace with my God, let me have no peace with my sins, nor any part or consent with the rebels against heaven; nor be carried away with any ungodly examples, into such wickedness, against which thou, O God, hast declared thy wrath from heaven. O O grant that I may never so strive with my Maker, nor allow myself in such a habit of mind, and course of life, as are enmity against God; but ever dread more to fall into thy hands than their's, that can but kill the body; and shew myself the more zealous

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for thee the more I see others set themselves against thee. O Lord most high! make me valiant for thy cause, as well as that for man, wherein I am now engaged. And preserve me, O my God, from the profaneness and blasphemy, the lewdness and debauchery, the rudeness and violence that are most incident to men of this profession; that I may not be infected with their contagion, but preserve my integrity, amidst all the temptations wherewith I am surrounded,

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Though the sword is in my hand, let the peace of God rule in my heart; and though I am a soldier, let me not be a man of blood, delighting in war; but a ready servant of country, a faithful instrument for our common defence and safety, and a dutiful subject to the powers ordained of God, for the Lord's sake. O my Strength and my Redeemer, strengthen my heart and hands for the service to which I am called; and make me successful and victorious, through thy blessing and power from on high. It is thou, Lord, only, that makest us to dwell in safety: O cover my head in the day of battle; and in all times of danger, be thou my shield and buckler. And either keep the evil from me, or arm me for it, that I may not be ruined by it, but gain good out of it, and find bodily hurts making for the health of my soul; and even the temporal death but a gate opened to eternal life. And seeing I go with my life in my hands, and am more exposed than other men to dangers and death, O make

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me more careful of my soul, more mindful of my latter end, and more diligent to put and keep myself in a preparation and readiness to die. And whether I prosper or miscarry in the attempts and enterprises wherein I am now concerned, O let my soul be ever precious in thy sight, and safe in thy hands. Help me, O my supreme Commander, the great Captain of our salvation, so to live, that I may find it the greatest gain to die: and let me go on (as Christ's faithful soldier) so conquering and to conquer the enemies of thy glory, and the hindrances of my own and others salvation, that, having overcome, I may sit down in thy kingdom, and triumph in thy sweetest love, and in thy heavenly joy, and thy most glorious praises, world without end. Amen.

A Prayer for the Melancholy and Dejected.

MOST good and gracious Lord! thou knowest our frame, and art a God full of compassion, to pity and relieve thy servants under their trouble and oppression. Look down, we humbly pray thee, with thy wonted pity, and remember in tender mercy the work of thy hands, our disconsolate friend; this troubled soul, that is even distracted in suffering thy terrors; while thy wrath lies hard upon him, and all thy waves and billows are gone over him to disturb his peace, and oppress his mind, and unfit him rightly to use his reason, or discharge his duty. O thou that speakest

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